Camera IconPaddy Slater was murdered in the early hours after Australia Day in 2016.Picture: Steve Ferrier

The mob killers of aboriginal man Patrick Slater – who was stabbed to death in the hours after Australia Day 2016 – have failed in their bids to have their convictions and sentences for murder overturned.

In 2017, six young men dubbed by prosecutors as the “Patrick Slater slayers” were found guilty of murder after an emotional and tense Supreme Court trial.

Later the same year, a boy who was just 11 years old when he was involved in the killing, became one of the youngest people in Australia to be convicted of manslaughter.

And it was his involvement – and the possibility he could have been the one who delivered the fatal blow to Mr Slater near Elizabeth Quay train station (then called the Esplanade) – that the appeals revolved around.

Lawyers for Christopher Birdsall, Dylan Anthony, Robert Pickett, brothers Stefan and Clinton Mead and another man who was under 18 at the time of the killing argued that if the 11 year-old was the “principal offender” then he would not be criminally responsible for murder because of age.

Camera IconMuch of the appeal hinged on the involvement of an 11 year old boy in the murder.

The argument continued that the flow on effect should be that none of those in the group would be guilty of murder.

Today, in a majority decision, Justices Michael Buss and Robert Mazza denied all the appeals.

“We are satisfied that even if (the boy) was the person who used the screwdriver to inflict the fatal wound to the deceased's chest, with the requisite intention for murder, … (the other’s) derivative liability … was not precluded.”

But a third appeal court judge, Justice Andrew Beech said he would have allowed the appeals.

“If the person who inflicted the fatal wound was not criminally responsible for his act, no offence was committed,” Justice Beech said.

The killers were involved in a rolling brawl with Mr Slater and members of his family in the hours after the Australia Day Skyworks.

They armed themselves with bottles, rocks, a wooden pole, a socket bar, a star picket and a screwdriver before the final attack.

Security cameras caught the movements of both groups before and after the attack, but the alcove where Mr Slater was stabbed was not under surveillance.

The eight armed males only disappeared from the view of the cameras for 49 seconds before they were filmed leaving the spot where Mr Slater bled to death.

During the trial, Supreme Court Justice Peter Martino said those involved were motivated by revenge when they attacked Mr Slater.

He said Mr Slater had 23 external injuries, including a fatal stab wound, when the group walked away and left him dying on the floor.

And he told the court Mr Slater was a loved and respected member of his family.

“Members of the family feel the loss very deeply,” he said.

“Their lives are poorer without him.”

Some of Mr Slater’s family were in court today to hear the appeal outcomes. They declined to comment as they left.